


Communities

by babykpats



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Future, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-15
Updated: 2014-09-15
Packaged: 2018-02-17 12:50:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2310218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babykpats/pseuds/babykpats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“After the riot, everything was gone. The world descended into darkness and man had to rebuild the world from the ground up. They’ve seen the errors of history and they have gone through some lengths to ensure the future be free from the very things that led to the riot.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Communities

**Author's Note:**

> I just watched Cameron in the Giver and wheels started turning in my head.

“After the riot, everything was gone. The world descended into darkness and man had to rebuild the world from the ground up. They’ve seen the errors of history and they have gone through some lengths to ensure the future be free from the very things that led to the riot.”

A sound of chimes took over the room.

“Alright, this session is over.”

The students rose in unison. The instructor bowed, an act that was mirrored by the students, and left the room.

While the rest of the students exited the room, Mickey sat back down and waited for his guards to accompany him to his residence.

Mickey’s father unit was the Overseer of Punishments and, although he didn’t see his father often, bearing the name Milkovich was enough to provoke anger from the people belonging to the underbelly of their Community.

“Mr. Milkovich?”

“How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Mickey!” Mickey stood up and stomped his way to the exit where four men in protective wear waited for him.

As they make their way through the Institution, everyone stopped to look at him. Something Mickey had already gotten used to.

~

“Ian! Help me with supper?”

Ian arrived in his residence and saw their Number 1, Fiona, preparing for supper.

Each residence in the Community has a father unit and a mother unit. The residence is assigned a family name once the union was legalized. The Children are formally labeled by numbers but majority of the people in the community still choose to go by their given names.

Ian went on over to Fiona to help prepare suppers for their residence.

“How was your day at the Institution?”

“Good. I have a session with the son of the Overseer of Punishments. Did you know that he’s not allowed to wander alone? He has guards accompanying him everywhere!”

“I’ve found him!” Number 2, Lip came bursting into the residence dragging their father unit behind him.

“Just in time for inspection!” Fiona was relieved.

The sound of chimes overtook their residence.

“I’ll let the inspector in, Lip, make him look presentable.” Fiona made her way to the door.

“Good evening Gallagher Number 1.” The inspector greeted her.

“Good evening Tony!” Fiona smiled.

“How is your father unit today?”

Fiona turned to see Frank slouched on the chair. “Just a bit tired.”

Tony gave Fiona a suspicious look but he didn’t dwell on it. “Would you mind calling on your whole residence for inspection?”

“No problem.” Fiona smiled.

“GALLAGHERS! INSPECTION!”

Sounds of footsteps were all that could be heard in the residence.

“Gallagher Number 1.” Fiona announced.

“Gallagher Number 2.” Lip said.

“Gallagher Number 3.” Ian followed.

“Gallagher Number 4.” Debbie said.

“Gallagher Number 5.” Carl said.

“And Gallagher Number 6.” Fiona said pointing at Liam.

“Alright, Gallaghers! I’ll see you tomorrow evening for inspection.” Tony left.

Each residence in the South had to go through a nightly inspection. The South was an overpopulated area in their Community with resources too few for the population. Crimes were commonplace and the nightly inspection marks the start of curfew where all the Children must stay within their residences.

Fiona was no longer a Child, she became a Provider once she was dispatched as a Protector, employed at the Refectory, serving food to the people who can’t provide food for themselves.

Lip and Ian were both Middles, the eldest of the Children. They attend sessions at the Institution, Lip in his final year and Ian in his third year. Afterwards they could go through Election and be dispatched for employment in the South or continue attending sessions in the Higher Institution to be dispatched for employment in the North or even in the Central.

Debbie and Carl were Younglings, they have their sessions at home and during the day a Nurturer will pick them up to wander.

Liam and Frank were Invalids. Liam has not had enough years of Life so he must stay with his parental unit or a Provider from his residence. Frank claimed to be an Invalid because of a sickness he says he has. It wasn’t true but he has already had it legalized and people could no longer contest what was legal.

“Alright guys! It’s time for supper. Lip, can you take Frank away?” Fiona asked.

“Gladly.” Lip lifted Frank by his shirt and simply dropped him by the side.

“What’s wrong with him?” Debbie asked, worriedly.

“He’s probably intoxicated again.” Ian put a consoling hand on Debbie.

~

“Mister Milkovi- I mean Mickey. Supper is ready.”

“It’s about damn time.” Mickey got off his bed and went down the stairs of their residence.

The Milkovich residence was situated in the North where most of the well-off residences are. Their father unit works in Central and stays there most of the time. When Mickey, Milkovich Number 3, descended the stairs, he saw that the rest of the members of his residence were already settled around the table.

Milkovich Number 1, Iggy, and Milkovich Number 2, Joey, were already Providers and was dispatched as Punishers under the direction of their father unit.

Mickey was a Middle, in his third year at the Institution, and Milkovich Number 4, Mandy, was also a Middle in her second year at the Institution.

“We came across a Keeper today. Apparently he was selling confidential information to other Communities for rings.” Joey shared.

“What kind of information?” Mandy asked.

“We don’t know. But I think it has something to do with our Community’s defense system.” Iggy said.

“How many rings did he get?” Mickey asked.

“A couple millions. Not worth being brought to the Punishers though, that’s for sure.” Joey scoffed.

“What’s the punishment for something like that?” Mandy asked, wide-eyed.

“He’ll probably be brought to the End!” Iggy said with a sick grin on his face.

There were four factions of their Community. Keepers were the ones who studied the rules and enforced them, their philosophy being ‘Order above all.’” They are the ruling faction whose decision is final and unquestionable.

Then there were the Punishers, whoever goes against the Keepers were brought to them. Each act of defiance has a corresponding punishment. ‘Violence towards order,’ that’s what they always say. Iggy and Joey were punishers for second level acts of defiance which included stealing, vandalizing and others as such.

There are also Protectors which are further split into two, the Nurturers and the Defenders. The Defenders protect the Community from other Communities while the Nurturers help the Children grow into well-functioning members of their Community. ‘Thy Community before thyself.’

Then there are the Thinkers, the smartest members of the Community. The Keepers will turn to the Thinkers for guidance during times of hardships. Thinkers help develop technology and better the status of the livelihood of the residences in the Community. They believe that they should, ‘Always work towards a higher state of order.’

The Milkoviches were always elected to be Punishers.

Mickey was still conflicted by this but he still has one more year before having to go through Elections.

~

“Ian and Lip, where are you going?” Fiona asked when he saw Numbers 2 &3 walking towards the door.

“We’re going to the Brothel.” Lip said. “It’s the fifth day of the cycle, we don’t have any sessions tomorrow.”

Fiona gave in and nodded. “Don’t get caught, okay? I don’t want you to be sent to the Punishers.”

“We’ll be careful.” Ian smiled at Number 1 and turned to follow Number 2.

~

Supper was finished and Mickey retreated into his bedroom. He was sitting on his bed and despite the numerous entertainment systems available to him, he just felt completely bored.

He heard the sound of chimes fill the residence signaling the start of curfew for the Children.

Mickey sighed and walked up to the window.

The streets were mostly deserted except for a couple of Providers taking leisurely walks. Mickey has never been out for a walk before. Everywhere he went, guards had to be with him to ensure that no one will attack him as an act of defiance against his father unit.

Mickey was fed up.

He took in a deep breath, gathering courage and opened the window. His bedroom was on the second level of their residence so it was fairly easy for him to jump from his window to a nearby tree. Once he was safely on the branches, he made his way towards the trunk and climbed down.

Once he was on the ground, he pulled the hood of his clothing up, hopefully shielding his face enough. He followed the lit paths and just wandered without any destination and he enjoyed the feeling of freedom. He kept on walking and walking and when he looked up, he found himself at the edge of the North.

There were high walls that separated the North from Central and in the middle is a gate where one could exit through. He looked behind him to see if he was being followed but he saw no one.

Mickey smiled.

He made his way through the gate and he found a Commune. He walked towards the Commune and got on.

“Where to?” The driver asked.

“Umm… I don’t know.” Mickey answered.

The driver turned his head and Mickey immediately tried to cover his face with the hood. The driver smirked. “You looking to have some fun tonight?”

Mickey nodded.

“Hang on!”

Mickey looked around as they drove through the Central. The only reason Mickey goes to the Central would be to attend sessions at the Institution. The Central at night was a whole different world. There bright lights everywhere and there were crowds of people wandering around.

Mickey has never seen this many people before.

The driver of the Commune drove them through Central and then Mickey saw another gate.

“We’re leaving the Central?” Mickey asked the driver, suddenly apprehensive.

The driver chuckled. “Don’t worry Milkovich Number 3, we’re going to the same place I brought Milkovich Numbers 1 & 2 during the first day they decided to go against curfew.”

“They went against curfew?”

“Oh yes, they were younger than you when they did. You got quite a late start, Mickey.” The driver laughed. “Here we are!”

The Commune stopped at a deteriorating building with bright lights shining through the window. “Where are we?” Mickey asked the driver.

“This is the South and that is the Brothel.”

Mickey nodded and started walking away.

“Don’t get caught!” The driver shouted before driving the Commune away.

~

Lip and Ian were approaching the Brothel when Ian saw Mickey.

“Lip, go ahead inside! I think I see someone from my session!”

Lip shrugged and headed towards the Brothel.

“Hey!” Ian called.

Mickey turned around and looked at the boy running towards him.

“Hi! You’re a Milkovich right?” Ian said once he was in front of Mickey.

Mickey punched the man in the arm. “Not so loud!” He started eyeing the people around him warily.

Ian laughed. “Don’t worry! They don’t care. Half the people around here are intoxicated.”

Mickey was still tensed.

“I’m a Gallagher. Number 3. But my given name is Ian.”

“I’m Number 3 as well. Mickey.”

“We have a session together at the Institution!”

Mickey just shrugged.

Ian was talking and smiling too much and it was making Mickey both angry and nervous but he didn’t know anyone else so he decided that being friends with Ian would be a good way to go.

“Come on! Let’s go in! Maybe we can have them serve us from the draft!”

Ian grabbed Mickey’s hand and pulled him towards the entrance of the Brothel.

**Author's Note:**

> Rings is the currency they have.  
> The End is something like a death sentence.
> 
> I honestly don't know where I'm going with this. It's just one of those things that are in my brain and that I needed to get out. Feel free to comment suggestions on how you want this to go cause I have no idea what's going to happen next.


End file.
